


Out of Alignment

by kaynibbler16



Series: Out of Alignment [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, This is part of a series, series of ficlets with overarching plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 08:15:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14280771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaynibbler16/pseuds/kaynibbler16
Summary: She's only known him for a couple of years, but he's known her for hundreds.





	Out of Alignment

She watched him shrewdly haggle with a vendor over parts as she relaxed under a nearby tree to escape the heat of the twin suns. It was mid-afternoon on Morpiant IV, 3298 CE, in the Pinwheel Galaxy. He had taken them there to visit an old friend of his and do some shopping. Their visit had been surprisingly quick and he quickly shuffled her off to the local market. As he picked up what looked like a bike wheel, she thought back to the day she met him only two years ago.

The first time Rose Tyler met the Doctor he still went by the name Theta. He was a young man of seventy (young, for his species) who was more than a little lost after he “accidentally” ignored the directions on his way to the designated landing zone for his first TARDIS test flight. He had slicked back blonde hair with a severe look about him, which contrasted with his mischievous nature. He’d landed right on her coffee table. Git.

She’d only been twenty-three years old, living in a small apartment after moving out of her mum’s place. He’d been a Time Lord in training who had never met a human in person. Whether it was destiny or just sheer happenstance, their meeting changed the course of their lives. From that day on, Theta, who eventually changed his name to the Doctor, would “accidentally” land in her apartment several times a month and whisk her away for an adventure. He never asked her to stay, though.

The Doctor had other companions. Most were young women, but there were also men and those who identified by non-binary genders or gender-less and even a few artificial beings as well. They came and went, dozens and dozens of companions, but he never asked _her_ to become a permanent member of his ship. Oh sure, he would take her to dinner or shopping in an alien bazaar on some far away moon, but it was only one trip each time. He’d drop her off at home afterwards and be gone until the next time he decided to visit.

She wouldn’t admit that she was jealous of his other companions.

The first time the Doctor’s face changed was more than a little shocking. One moment he’s a cranky old man (that incarnation did not age well) and the next he’s a dark haired middle aged man with an affinity for the recorder. The next time he changed was a little easier, though she didn’t see much of that incarnation. His fourth body was…interesting. His fifth incarnation was blonde again and, she’d never admit it to him, a bit fit. She might have fancied him.

His sixth body was ridiculous. There was really no other way to describe him. His seventh body was goofy at first, but she could sense a change in him; something darker that she hadn’t seen before, or maybe hadn’t noticed it in him. Maybe he just hid it from her.

It made Rose wonder what else she didn’t know about her…friend? Alien acquaintance? She wasn’t sure what she could officially label their relationship. She’d only known him for a couple of years now, but he’d known her for hundreds. How did he view her?

At this rate, Rose wondered if the Doctor would die of old age one day and she’d just never know. That thought made her heart ache. She cared about her strange alien friend, even if he had a bad habit of ruining her appliances by “upgrading” them.

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone plopped down next to her. The newcomer was a handsome man with wild brown hair and a pin-striped suit. A long brown jacket hung over his arm. 

He smiled at her and said, “Do you mind if I sit here for a while? It’s a bit hot out.”

Even as he said this, Rose noticed that he didn’t seem the least bit sweaty, but she didn’t comment on it. Probably alien. “Not at all.”

“Thank you. Are you visiting?”

Rose nodded, keeping an eye on the Doctor as she spoke to the man next to her. “Yeah, came with my friend.” She nodded towards the stall where the Doctor was still haggling over the bike wheel.

The man smirked. “Which one is he?”

“The one in the question mark jumper.”

“Interesting fashion sense.”

Rose snorted. “Not his worst outfit, by far.”

He laughed. “I can imagine. Are you enjoying your visit?”

Rose couldn’t explain it, but she felt comfortable with this strange man. “Yeah. The heat’s starting to get to me, but I love feeling new ground beneath my feet.”

His eyes twinkled as he propped his chin on his hand, a soft smile playing on his lips as he gazed at her. “Me too.”

Rose blushed. “You’re not a local.”

“Nope! Just here for some bits and bobs, myself. Well, and to visit an old friend of mine.”

“You sound like my friend.”

He gave her a look that Rose had trouble reading before he said, “I might have more in common with him than you think.”

There was something about his words that made a shiver run down her spine. Who was this man?

“Well, I think that’s it for me. Should probably get going,” he said.

Rose started as the man quickly stood up and threw his jacket on. Wasn’t it too hot for a jacket? “Oh, okay. Thanks for keeping me company.”

His smile was tender as his voice dropped an octave. “Anytime, Rose.”

And then he strode off into the throng of people between the stalls.

It wasn’t until she had completely lost sight of him in the crowd that Rose realized that she had never told him her name.


End file.
